If It Fits - 9. Chapter 9

May 6, 1995

“I feel like Finch, and I just ran into my own Mr. Biggley,” Cody teased as we walked out of How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying. It was a beautiful Saturday evening in New York, and we'd taken in an early play. Matthew Broderick and Megan Mullally both gave great performances.

“Well, that would be a more apt description if Finch fucked Biggley instead of just knocking him down,” I teased back. We strolled down Broadway to the Marriott Marquis and headed straight up to our suite.

“This has been such a great experience Stef. New York is so different from Chicago,” Cody said, walking up behind me and wrapping his arms around me. “Thanks.”

I settled back into his body, so young and firm. “You're welcome. It is a pleasure to see things with you. Everything is new to you, so I get to appreciate them all over again.” I felt something vibrating and giggled. “Either you bought some sex toys while we were in Times Square or your phone is ringing.”

He chuckled. “Why would I need sex toys when I have you?” He picked up his phone and answered it, gently letting me go. I walked over to the windows and looked at the skyline, the Empire State Building only a few blocks away in Mid-town, and then the massive twin towers of the World Trade Center rising from Lower Manhattan. I personally liked the sculptured look of the Chrysler Building the best.

“Guess what?” he asked.

“I do not know. What?” I asked back.

“J-Bar was raided tonight. Police came in and carded everyone, found nine underage guys including Chad and pulled their liquor license.”

“My goodness,” I said, feigning surprise. “I wonder how that happened.”

“I didn't tell my friend that you did it,” he said. He was impressed with my power. Good. “Bruno was pissed as hell and almost got himself arrested.”

“Well, he should run an honest establishment,” I said self-righteously. “I wonder how long before I get a phone call?”

He laughed. “Bruno or Marcel?” he asked.

My phone rang and I held it up to check the caller id. “Marcel.” I pushed the “talk” button. “Hello?”

“Hi Stef, it's Marcel,” he said.

“I am aware of that,” I replied coldly. “I have caller-ID.”

“J-Bar just got raided. They pulled Bruno's liquor license,” he said.

“That is a shame,” I said unconvincingly.

“He seems to think you had something to do with it,” Marcel queried.

“It is certainly ironic, since I pointed out to him only three days ago that he was letting underage boys into his bar,” I said in my calm deadly tone. If it were Brad I was talking to, he would have caught the warning tone. Marcel did not.

“So did you do it? Did you have them raid his bar?” he demanded.

“Do I look like a policeman to you?” I prevaricated.

“How could you do this Stef? Just because he fucked that guy instead of you?” he asked, pissed off now.

“You are out of line Marcel. You need to evaluate which relationships in your life are most important, and decide where your loyalties lie. Right now, I think you are confused. Right now, you seem to think it is Bruno who brought you over to this country and put you through school. Right now, you seem to think it is Bruno who paid your bills and gave you the home you live in. Right now, you seem to think that Bruno is much more important to you than I am.” I heard him pause, hearing the fury in my voice.

“That is not fair,” he objected.

“No? And when Bruno treated me like shit, you took his side immediately, and did not give a shit about how he made me feel. And when his slutty twink friend was rude as hell to me, Bruno told me to go fuck myself, and once again, you do not care about my feelings. I think it is very fair. I am less upset at Bruno being an asshole than I am at you for betraying me.”

“I have always stuck up for you,” Marcel whined.

“You are wrong. In my world, family comes first. Period. We stick together, and we fight for each other. I have always done that for you, and I guess I thought you would always do that for me. It saddens me that I was wrong.” And that was really the crux of it. I was used to JP's mode of fighting for family members regardless. Like he'd done for me in Mexico, like we'd done for Robbie in Paris. Like we'd done for Marcel. There was silence on Marcel’s end.

“If Bruno cannot get his liquor license back, then he will not be able to pay the rent, and that's going to cost me a lot of money,” he said, trying to work his way out of it, but only digging his hole deeper.

“I see. So on your list of priorities, Bruno is up there, presumably Max is as well, then there is money, and much farther down, on some lower rung, you will find me. Is that how it works?” Marcel said nothing. “I do not want to hear from you until you figure it out.” Then I pushed the “end” button.

I stood there staring at the phone, as if blaming it for pissing me off. I knew that Marcel was just sticking up for his friend, but that wasn't good enough. It was about family. I'd adopted him into my family, treated him like my own child, and the only thing I expected from him in return was his loyalty. He was French. This should not be a foreign concept to him. I felt Cody's arms around me again.

“I'm sorry baby,” he cooed into my ear. “This is all my fault. I should have tossed Chad out as soon as you showed up. It was just too much fun watching you rip him apart, and now it's caused you a bunch of problems.”

I smiled at him. So he enjoyed seeing me get into a cat fight with Chad. Such a gay bar drama. “Marcel will figure it out eventually. If he does not, he will talk to Max, or call Brad, and they will set him straight.”

“Who is Brad?” Cody asked nervously.

“Brad is essentially my son, although technically he is my cousin. We have a tight relationship that goes back to when he was just a little boy. He works for me now, has pretty much taken over my business. On my priority scale of people, he is at the top of my list.”

“I hope he likes me,” Cody said nervously.

“He will like you as long as I like you,” I teased, only it was true. “His partner Robbie took over Greg's production company. He is a fantastic guy, just like Brad.”

“I'm kind of worried Stef. I mean, Marcel hates me. What if he poisons these other guys against me?” It was really endearing to see this guy vulnerable.

“For the same reasons that I explained to Marcel, they will not turn against you. You are with me, so they will be nice to you. Marcel does not like you because you hit on his boyfriend.” He blanched at that.

“I was just playing around with Max. He's cute.”

“Well, the men in my life, in my family, most of them have partners. Brad has Robbie, Marcel has Max. Anyone interferes in those relationships and they're toast. So in a sense, Marcel could have pulled that out and used it against you, and then we would not be here together.” I watched that register.

“I love talking to you Stef,” he said smiling, “but I think right now I'd rather fuck you.” I kissed him then, and gave him what he wanted.

May 8, 1995

“You live on the beach?” Cody asked as the plane descended into LAX.

“I do,” I answered as I pulled my pants on after spending some time with Cody in the mile high club. “I think you will like it there. I want to spend a few days here, and then we can travel up to The City.”

“The City?” he asked, confused.

“San Francisco. You will like it. It is prettier than New York, but much different.” Cody was so much fun, like a kid in a candy store, realizing that there was a big huge world out there, and it was fun, exciting, and not a little dangerous.

“I'm in your capable hands Stef,” he said, and leaned down to kiss me. “And damn, are they capable.”

“Charmer,” I said. Then I told him all about the family members he'd meet, including the kids.

It was a fast trip up to Malibu, due primarily to the fact that we arrived at lunchtime. The car pulled up to the house and he looked at it admiringly. If he liked this place, he'd love Escorial. I led him in and dragged him over to my favorite room, the tall great room with a wall of windows that overlooked the beach. “Wow. This is spectacular,” he said.

I looked out at the ocean and smiled. “See that guy out there, the guy with the green and black wetsuit?”

“Yeah. The one floating around on the water,” Cody observed.

“That's Brad. Watch him.”

We stood there, arm in arm, waiting with as much anticipation as Brad probably was for a wave. I had watched Brad enough to know him, know his moves. I saw the swell, saw the wave forming, and saw him turn away from it and start paddling. “He will catch this one,” I told Cody.

The wave began to form, moving toward Brad, then it was on him and he was up, gliding up and down the face of the monster, playing with it like it was a toy. He rode it until it broke, swallowing him up, punishing him for getting so much pleasure from it. “Damn, that was fucking cool!” Cody watched Brad surface. “Think he'd take me out there with him?”

“Ask him,” I told him with a smile. “He loves to surf.”

“You are home Mr. Stefan!” I heard a voice say. Rosalita, my housekeeper.

“I am, Rosa. And you are back too!” She'd been visiting relatives in Mexico for the past few months. It was all I could do to make her stay and not come back for Greg's funeral. Visiting her family was much more therapeutic than watching me melt down. “This is Cody.”

“Nice to meet you,” she said, grinning at him. In her early 50's, she had a toothless smile that was at odds with her cheerful manner. “He is a cute one,” she said to me.

“He is. Wait until you see him with his shirt off,” I teased. Cody grinned at her and pulled up his polo shirt, flashing her a glimpse of his abs. Rosa leered at him, which cracked us all up.

“Let me show you where Brad, Robbie, and their brood live,” I told him. I took him through the doorway, now open, and the small hallway that led to their house. I was surprised to find Robbie home, hanging out at the kitchen table working on some papers.

“Hey there,” I said cheerfully. He was up and hugging me before I finished saying “there.”

“You're home! Fucking awesome! We missed you around here!” Robbie had a huge grin, making me feel so welcome and so wanted.

“I missed you too. Robbie, this is Cody,” I said, introducing them.

“Hey,” Robbie said simply and shook his hand. Cody responded with an equally profound “hey.”

I felt arms grab me from behind and a wet body grabbing me. “Welcome home!”

I turned to see Brad, naked but for a towel, still looking magnificent. “Well thank you. This is Cody,” I said.

“Nice to meet you Cody. I heard all about you already,” Brad said, making Cody uncomfortable.

“I hope it was good,” Cody said gamely.

“Nope. None of it. So I knew you'd be hot as hell,” Brad said, grinning at Cody and helping him relax.

“I used to think so, but you guys are taking my ego down a notch or two,” Cody said diplomatically. “We were watching you surf. You were awesome!”

If there was one thing Cody could have said that would have put him in Brad's good graces, that was it, complimenting him on his surfing. “Thanks. It's my hobby.”

“Think you could show me how to do that?” Cody asked.

Robbie laughed. “It kills him to wallow around with us rookies. Better let me show you.”

“You saying I have no patience?” Brad asked, pretending to be irritated.

“When it comes to surfing, yeah,” Robbie said.

“Maybe you're right. But come out into the waves with me anyway, just don't get upset if I bail on you to catch a good one,” Brad said to Cody.

“I can work with that,” he said, shooting his grin at them and turning up the charm.

“So where did you find this hunk?” Brad asked.

“I met him at J-Bar. He was the only one who came up and asked me to dance,” I said, only partially pretending to be upset about it.

“That's only because all the other guys were too scared to make a move on him,” Cody said. “Hot guy, rich as hell, with Marcel and Max as bodyguards, not an easy pickup target.”

“So was this before or after you had the J-Bar raided?” Brad teased. I saw Robbie look at him nervously. He was less likely to rock the boat by bringing up controversial topics.

“That would have been before,” I said defiantly. “I see Marcel has called you,” I said, probably a little too accusatory.

“He did. I think he's feeling a little isolated right about now.”

“Indeed?” I asked.

“He came whining to us, wanting someone to be on his side,” Robbie said. “Didn't work out that way. Max is pissed off too. So I think he'll figure it out soon enough.”

“I always thought Marcel would be in my corner,” I said sadly. “To take Bruno's side over mine, that is really painful, especially now.” I realized that I had let myself get a little too maudlin, a little too open, and regretted it.

“Well, and he's still pissed off at Cody for hitting on Max,” Brad said, smiling.

Cody looked at them, and I saw the mischief in his eyes, saw him sizing up the situation. He grabbed Robbie and pulled him into a lip lock, not a long one, but a lip lock. He turned to Brad. “That's what I did to Max. Is that enough to make you hate me?”

Brad laughed. “No. Seeing Robbie blush like that was worth it.” Robbie stood there, looking shocked. It was too funny. “We have been through hell and back in our relationship, Cody, but we've been happy for a long time now. I love Robbie completely; I'm secure with us, so that doesn't bother me. But Marcel isn't so secure.”

“He should be. Max is a fucking hot man. Everyone hits on him, and shit, the most I could get was a kiss like that. Marcel has nothing to worry about.” He grinned. “I think you enjoyed it more than Max did though,” he said to Robbie. Robbie blushed again, and we laughed again.

“You into threesomes?” Robbie teased Cody.

“I am not going to bring hot guys home if you're going to hit on them,” I said to Robbie in a faux bitchy tone. “Besides, you guys are too kinky for Cody. He's pure as the driven snow.”

“Nothing you could do would shock me,” he said. Brad and Robbie grinned at each other. I wasn't so sure about that.

“Well, you wanted to go surfing, and the waves are up, so come on down and I'll get you a wetsuit,” Brad said. “You coming?” he asked, turning to Robbie.

“I have to go through this shit,” Robbie said, pointing at the stuff on the table. I looked at him really hard, and he grinned. “It can wait until later.” No way was I going to stand by and see him implode like Greg.

With the house to myself, and some solitude, I headed out onto the deck to watch them and dialed JP. He seemed glad to hear from me.

“I heard about your new boy toy,” he teased.

“Did Marcel call and whine to everyone?” I asked.

“I think he was trying to find someone to tell him that you were an asshole and he was right,” JP teased. “He should have known better than to call me.”

“It is so funny JP, all those times you have bitched at me about family and obligations, and it just seems so natural to me now. When Marcel slammed me like that, I felt so betrayed. I cannot help but think about the times when I did that to you.”

“Stef, you have been such a loyal friend for so long, I would never question your love.” Aw. How cute was that?

“So how is Erik?” I asked.

“He's great. He's pretty much moved in. He's a dynamo Stef. He wears me out. We had such a good time on your boat. Thanks so much for sharing.”

I hid the sadness. He deserved to be happy without worrying about my bullshit. “I am so glad! What is mine is yours, remember?”

“Does that mean you're going to bring Cody up here so I can meet him,” he said.

“And fuck him?” I joked.

“Maybe.” I laughed at that.

“I will drag our sorry asses up there as soon as I can. In the meantime, Brad and Robbie are teaching Cody how to surf.” He laughed at that. “School is out soon for you?”

“I'll be done around June 4th. All of the graduation festivities will be over by then.”

“Maybe you can block out a couple of weeks? Or at least one? I thought it would be fun to cruise to Hawaii, maybe see if Brad and Robbie can get away for a bit too.”

“You think Brad will want to go to Hawaii?” JP joked. Brad headed over there every chance he got. He got a rush from the waves on Oahu’s north shore. Thinking of that, I watched Cody out in the water with them, falling on his ass as he tried to surf, laughing with Robbie while Brad was off on his own, waiting for the next challenge, the next wave.

“It is always possible,” I said.

“Maybe you can invite Marcel and Max too,” JP said carefully.

“I told Marcel that I did not want to hear from him until he figured things out, so it is up to him to grovel. I am so pissed off at him I do not even want to be in the same room with him right now.”

“I understand,” JP said. “I also have to go. Come see us!”

Us. See us. I gritted my teeth. “I will get up there as soon as I can.” I hung up and decided that it was a lot easier to talk to him on the phone. If I was in front of him, he might figure out how much “us” bothered me.

May 13, 1995

“Stef, I really appreciate you going with us tonight,” Robbie said. “You too Cody,” he added hastily.

“I'm just along for the ride,” Cody said. He was a sharp guy. He'd picked up on the dynamics of my relationship with Brad and Robbie right away and had done everything he could to make sure they liked him. I thought about the arrogant, stuck up guy I'd met in Chicago. It was hard to see that guy in the sweet companion next to me.

“I am happy to help out, but you do not need my help at all. It is in your mind, not in the minds of others,” I told Robbie. This was the first big Hollywood pre-screening of a movie Robbie had been working on without Greg's help. It was a historical movie, Braveheart, starring Mel Gibson. Greg had passed on the deal but Robbie was convinced it was good and had gotten involved in the production group on his own, something that had seriously pissed Greg off. But now, when it was time to actually see the thing, Robbie was nervous as hell.

“I hope it's good,” he said nervously. “Greg was never this nervous.”

“Oh yes he was,” Brad said. “Why do you think he was always grouchy as hell before these things?”

“Brad is right,” I said. “He would be a total asshole for days before these things. You are open and honest; you worry with your friends and family, while Greg was unable to do that. He had to close off, prepare for the worst, and take his insecurity out on all of us.”

“If you say so,” Robbie said dubiously. “It will still be nice to have you there Stef.”

“You want Greg's wife there to show that you have his support?” I teased. “I was not always the wife you know.” That got a laugh. But I understood Robbie's feelings. Greg and I had been a staple of the Hollywood scene for years now. Having me there would validate him as Greg's successor, not just as someone who got his position through nepotism.

“You think you're nervous? Shit. My palms are sweaty,” Cody joked, easing the tension.

“Just enjoy yourself,” Brad said. “If the movie sucks, we'll go home early. If not, we'll be partying late.” Cody seemed to think he was joking until none of us laughed.

We got to the theater and managed to skate through without hassles from the press. They were waiting for Mel Gibson. There was a gathering in the lobby, and I spotted an actress I'd met before, Sophie Marceau. She played the Princess of Wales in the movie. Her character in the movie was French, while Sophie was in fact from Paris herself.

“Why hello darling!” I said to her in French. She grinned at me and said hello back, then we chattered away in our native tongue.

“We must go in now,” she said to me as the lights dimmed. “Thank you for coming over here. Being with a fellow Frenchman has helped calm my nerves.” I bowed to her gallantly, making her giggle.

“I'm sorry to exclude you from our conversation,” I apologized to Cody. He'd stood there next to me the whole time, just looking around.

“No problem,” he said. “I love listening to you speak French. It makes me horny.”

“Everything makes you horny,” I teased. He really was an animal in bed, almost insatiable. Almost as bad as Lou. We watched the movie, and it was good. There were a few things that concerned me about it, but I kept my mouth shut. First of all, it was pretty hard on the English. For a Frenchman to notice that, now that was something. And second, the gay character, the Prince of Wales, was portrayed in a very negative light. The English were a subdued lot. They might skate on that one. But we gay guys were bitches, so they'd hear about that.

We went to an after-party in Bel Air at the home of one of Robbie's co-producers. I should have thrown a party for Robbie, I thought to myself, irritated. I should be helping him out, helping him make the transition. I pushed the guilt aside. I'd make it up to him next time around. There were tons of people there, so I spent my time chatting with them and introducing Cody to everyone. I watched him, incredibly handsome in the perfectly tailored suit we'd gotten just for this party, watched him go into his flirting mode. It was really funny. The same cocky attitude he'd had that first night I met him, which was his social face. And in this crowd, it really worked. A hot guy that wasn't going to give it up to just anyone. A guy who would find what he wanted and take it.

“You are doing very well,” I whispered into his ear.

“Thanks,” Cody whispered back in a muted voice. He didn't want to shatter his persona. I laughed then, and got him to laugh too, but that just made him seem so much more charming. I decided it was time to go pee, so I wandered off looking for the bathroom. On the second floor was an empty bathroom. After I peed I noticed what an interesting bathroom it was. It had a massive shower off to the side that looked out onto the front drive. Anyone taking a shower would be putting on quite a show for visitors. I opened the door and stepped into it to gaze out front. The grounds around this home were truly spectacular.

I heard the door burst open and was about to jump out when I heard voices. One was a guy named Zach, about 25, a real handsome guy. He worked for Robbie and Greg, was one of their key production assistants. He was one of those guys who got invited because of how he looked, not because of what he did. I didn't know who the other guy was.

“Dude, did you see that guy with Stefan?”

“Damn. He's smokin’.” Zach said.

“How you think Stef got him?”

“What do you think Grant? He's fucking loaded,” Zach said. I cringed.

“He's loaded, but he's kind of hot too,” Grant said. Score a point for Grant.

“Hell yeah. I'd fuck him,” Zach said. I almost giggled.

“Wouldn't that be weird after being with his partner?” Grant asked. With my partner? What the fuck?

“Nah. See the reason Greg was with me is because Stef's a bum lay,” Zach said. “And Greg was one horny bastard.” Horny? He was asexual for most of the last year of his life.

“Really? He was always so fucking uptight,” Grant said.

“Almost every fucking day he'd pull me into his office and fucking rip my pants off and fuck me. Great fringe benefit,” Zach said. “Still, that guy with Stefan, man I'd give that guy a ride he'd never forget.” I heard a zipper.

“You wish he was up here sucking your cock?”

“No way Grant, you are the best. Oh yeah,” Zach said. I just stood there, dazed. Greg had been fucking Zach? For how long? I felt the rage burning in me, rage at Greg, but directed at Zach. I threw open the shower door, slamming it against the wall.

“Ow!” yelled Zach. Grant must have bitten him. “Fuckin' watch the teeth!”

“Sorry,” Grant said, and they looked toward me, pissed off. Only when they saw it was me, they shit a brick, both of them.

“So Zachary,” I said, walking toward him. “How long were you fucking Greg?”

“Stef, I'm so sorry, I'm really really sorry,” he stammered. I couldn't help but glance down at his cock. Almost seven inches, with a cute curve downwards.

“How long?” I demanded.

“Six months before he left or so,” he said. I saw his dick deflating.

“How did it happen?” I asked.

“I don't want to talk about this,” he whined.

“Look you little shit. You answer my questions, you tell me what I want to know, and I might, I just might not ruin whatever career you've started here. You understand?” Zach nodded, a look of terror on both his and Grant's face. Someone knocked on the bathroom door. “Fuck off!” I yelled. I turned back to Zach. “How did it happen?”

“It was at the office Halloween Party. I came as a Roman Senator, wearing a toga, only without anything on underneath it. I'm so sorry Stef. I know I looked like a slut, but I just wanted to get laid.”

“Go on,” I said, more gently, more encouraging.

“Greg kept flirting with me, paying attention to me, and he was, uh, touching me through my robe. I feel like a fucking slut. I'm so sorry,” he whined again. I just stared at him, willing him to cut the drama. He swallowed, and then went on. “He took me into his office and he came onto me pretty strong. Caught me in a lip lock, ripped my toga off. He was so dominant, such an animal, I just caved. Plus he said you wouldn't care.”

“He said I would not care? What exactly did he say to you?”

“He told me that you guys had an open relationship. That it was OK. That you'd understand if he fooled around with a hot young guy like me.” I felt my anger at this kid start to fade. I could read him like a book. He was scared, and he was sincere. I knew that from one word he'd said in that last sentence. “Young.” He'd cringed when he said it, he knew it would hurt me, but he was spilling his guts.

“And when you saw us together after that, it did not seem to you that we were in an open relationship? We did not seem like a couple?”

“How would I really know?” he asked.

“You would not unless you asked me. You and I always talk at those parties. You did not even hint at it, or anything.” I knew that wasn't a fair question. I would never have done that if I was sleeping with someone's boyfriend and he told me they had an open relationship. Or would I?

He solved my ethical dilemma. “Greg told me that while you were cool with it, you didn't want it rubbed in your face, so I shouldn't say anything.” I just looked at him then. I didn't know what to say. The silence was really uncomfortable, but the position I was in, the boyfriend who was cheated on, cuckolded, was humiliating. Time to try and extract myself from this situation and get the fuck out of here with some grace.

“So you were not trying to fuck me over?” I asked.

“No Stef, I swear. I'm so sorry,” Zach said, almost begging. I turned to Grant who was still kneeling on the floor in front of Zach's limp cock, and pulled him upright.

“So you thought I was hot eh?” I teased, and leaned in to give him a nice kiss.

“Yeah,” Grant said, a shy grin on his face.

“And you were willing to fuck me, a mercy fuck if I'm not mistaken?” I teased Zach.

“No Stef. Any time, any place, right now, we're doing it,” Zach said sincerely.

I reached down and stroked his cock lightly, firing him up again. “I will take you up on that sometime. You too Grant.” I pushed Grant back down on his knees. “Until then, I think you have some unfinished business.” Grant didn't miss a beat, and inhaled Zach's dick. Zach looked at me, our eyes locked, while Grant blew him. Zach swallowed hard, then leaned in and kissed me. It was surreal and erotic. Here I was, in a bathroom, making out with the guy my partner cheated with while another guy blew him. I felt his breath alter as he panted lightly, but he didn't break our link. He panted and moaned into my mouth, giving in to Grant's ministrations until he finally came, moaning, and exhaling frantically down my throat. Zach only broke our kiss as Grant licked and squeezed the last drops of cum from his dick.

“Wow,” he said, looking at me. “Wow.”

I grinned, ruffled Grant's hair, and snuck out of the bathroom. I paused for a minute, gathering myself together, and then walked down the stairs. I tried to block the thing with Greg, but there was no way. The emotions rolling through me were too wild, too violent, for me to hide them. No, the only thing to do was get the fuck out of there as fast as I could. I saw Cody over at the bar talking to a hot guy. I walked up and put my arm in his in a possessive gesture, but I needed him now. “I'm not feeling well. I need to go. You can come with me, or stay here with Brad and Robbie if you like.”

He looked at me and I could tell he wanted to stay, but he knew me well enough to know there was something wrong. “No, let's bail,” he said. “Nice meeting you,” he told the hot guy he was talking to. We headed to the door. “You OK?” he asked. I shook my head. We saw Brad and Robbie so I headed toward them.

“Stef's not feeling well, so we're going back,” Cody told them.

“We'll be ready to leave in a minute. Can you wait for us?” Brad asked. No way. I had to get out of there. The realization of what I'd found out, the visual of Greg fucking Zach at the office every day while he treated me like shit, while he ignored me sexually, while I stayed completely faithful; I was losing control. I caught Robbie's eye, and he was so in tune to me these days he took over.

“Nope. We're going,” Robbie said. “Great to see you all. Great movie!” he told the people he was talking to. I suddenly realized that Cody was gone, and I felt so alone, so vulnerable. Robbie put his arm around me and guided me out. There was Cody with the limo. He'd gone to get it for me. Such a thoughtful thing to do. We hopped in and Cody put up the privacy glass.

“What is it?” Brad asked, clued in to my mood at last.

“You know Zach, the guy that works for you?” I asked Robbie.

“Yeah. Hot kid, brown hair, green eyes,” Robbie said, trying to joke me out of my misery. It didn't work this time. I saw Cody give me a jealous look. Cute.

“Greg was fucking him,” I said.

“What!? When?” Brad asked.

“Since the Halloween Party. I was out of town, I missed it. That's when Greg fucked him the first time. Then apparently it was a daily thing after that.”

“I'm so sorry Stef,” Brad said, grabbing my hand. I felt Cody's arm around my shoulder.

“Monday morning, his ass is fired!” Robbie said, pissed. I smiled at him. This is what I was trying to explain to Marcel. This is what I had needed from him. I needed him to be on my side, to be there for me.

“No,” I said firmly. “It was not his fault. Greg told him we had an open relationship. He did not think he was hurting me.”

“That's a bullshit line,” Brad said, skeptical just like JP would be.

“No, it was not, Brad. You did not see his expression, you did not hear his story. He was sincere.” Brad looked at me quizzically, surprised by my intensity.

“He's probably pretty upset about it too then,” Cody said. “I would be.”

“Why?” I asked.

“Dude gets seduced by his boss, goes with the flow, and lets his boss use him as his personal fuck toy. Figures it's cool, guy's partner doesn't care. Then the guy dies. Probably freaked him way out. Now he finds out that it wasn't cool, and he was fucking around on you. I don't know. I'm just saying if it was me, I'd feel pretty shitty.” I thought about that. Zach was Cody's peer, in both age and position. It was fascinating to have his viewpoint, to hear what may be going through Zach's brain.